Sunday, February 04, 2007
Piñol hit SC over inaction on 'bombers' case
DAVAO CITY -- North Cotabato Governor Emmanuel Piñol expressed disappointment with the Supreme Court in the light of the escape of three high-profile inmates from the provincial jail in Kidapawan City Friday.
The governor was however quick to add that he is not blaming the High Court for the early dawn jailbreak.
"But what if the SC acted upon our petition? Had the SC listened to us the raid would have not happened. But we are not blaming the SC for the raid. The big bulk of the blame goes to us. I take the blame for the incident," Piñol said.
Malacañang on the other hand assured that the military and police are intensifying manhunt operation against the armed men and the prisoners who attacked and bolted the provincial jail of North Cotabato.
Initial investigation also identified a former inmate of the provincial jail to have played a vital role in Friday's jailbreak.
In a press conference Saturday, Piñol said as early as 2004, they have requested the Supreme Court for the transfer of terror suspects from Kidapawan jail to either Davao City or Manila.
The governor explained that the provincial jail is not capable of effectively securing high-profiler inmates like the terror suspects.
He revealed that they have been receiving information for years now that some groups would be rescuing the inmates from the jail.
The SC, however, denied North Cotabato officials' petition for "lack of merit."
Piñol said had the highest court acted upon their request before, the "great escape" last Friday would have not happened.
The governor hopes that with Friday's jailbreak, the SC would now listen to their pleas.
In the middle of Piñol's press conference, Justice Secretary Gonzales called up the governor and requested for a meeting to discuss the province's petition with the SC.
Aside from the transfer of the terror suspects to a more secure jail, Piñol is also requesting for the creation of a special court that would try the cases of the terror suspects.
He said a local court could not try these cases without fear of being harmed by the relatives and friends of the suspects.
Piñol said the incident just show how incapable our government is in addressing the terrorism threat without the passage of an anti-terror law.
He called on the lawmakers to pass the anti-terror bill as soon as possible since the people are suffering from the delay of its passage.
Former inmate
Ongoing investigation on the recent jailbreak showed that a former inmate, Bayan Daluyod, reportedly guided the armed group in the premises of the penal colony.
Upon entry, the armed group immediately opened cell no. 2 where high profile prisoners such as Datu Ali Sultan are in.
Daluyod, who was jailed at the North Cotabato provincial jail for charges of robbery with homicide, was later freed after his case was settled out of court.
The North Cotabato provincial jail was holding inmates beyond its capacity. Over 700 inmates are detained in the said penal colony, an excess of 400 from its 300 capacity.
Only eight guards were on duty last Friday when 50 to 60 armed men stormed the penal colony and released 49 inmates, including high profile bombers.
All personnel were relieved from their posts after the incident including the brother of North Cotabao Governor Emmanuel Piñol, Noli, who was acting provincial jail warden.
Manhunt
In Malacañang, Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye in a statement said, "The Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines are intensifying the manhunt for the jail raiders and escapees in Kidapawan. The authorities are also trying to determine if MILF members were involved and, if so, to employ all means within the government-MILF ceasefire agreement to bring to justice those who may have been involved."
Bunye said the Department of Interior and Local Government is evaluating the existing security measures on detention facilities nationwide especially those holding suspected terrorists.
The evaluation is meant to prevent a repeat of the North Cotabato jailbreak. (Sun.Star Davao/Sunnex)For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star General Santos. (February 4, 2007 issue)
Write letter to the editor. Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board. Click here. |
Death toll in tanker blast rises to 50